Chapter 2

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Chapter 2 After flying for many hours we finally landed to set up camp for the night. I slid down off of Appa's back, and my feet touched nice, soft grass. At least it felt like grass. Turns out it was fur—bison fur. It's spring and Appa has started shedding something fierce. I gathered up some fruit, nuts, and berries, so I'm all set as far as food goes. I'm just settling down against a rock and stretching out, drinking in my first full day of freedom—Ah, this is the life! Oh, here comes Katara. Wonder what she wants? "So, Toph, usually when setting up camp, we try to divide up the work between us." "Hey, don't worry about me. I'm good." Apparently she doesn't get it. She's going on and on about fetching water, building a fire, putting up the tents—all this stuff that has nothing to do with me. I can take care of myself. I always have. I don't need to be treated like a little kid. This is why I left home! I get it—Katara is all rah-rah, go team. But the whole team thing just isn't my style. I've always been a loner, and just because I'm traveling with these guys doesn't mean I'm part of some group or

something. I do stuff for ME. I carry my weight, without asking for anybody's assistance, like some dependant child. And they should do the same! "I don't need a fire, I already collected my own food, and look…" A quick Earthbending move should take care of a tent for me. A nice tent with rock walls. There! All done. "My tent's all set up!" But still Katara still doesn't look satisfied. "Well, that's great for YOU. But we still need to finish—" She really is annoying. What does she want from me? I'm risking everything to come with them to help Aang learn Earthbending, and she won't stop hounding me about tents and water and firewood? I didn't leave home after being bossed around my whole life by my parents to be bossed around by her! "I don't understand what the problem is here!" "Never mind…" Later she came and apologized, saying that she was tired. Maybe that's why she's so cranky. I guess I should try to give her the benefit of the doubt. I accepted her apology and slipped into my rock tent to settle down for the night.

I had just fallen asleep when powerful vibrations rumbling through the earth woke me up. What is that? If I put my palms flat onto the ground, I'll be able to feel it. This is something big. Very big. Whatever it is, it's powerful and it's heading our way. I woke the others and suggested getting out of here. We scrambled onto Appa and took to the sky. Looking down they spotted a huge tank with thick treads and big missiles racing toward the spot where we had set up camp. We've got to get away from it, whatever it is. We landed a good distance away. I stood for a moment and focused but felt no rumbling at all from that thing. We decided to settle there for the night, and that's when Katara started in again, asking me to help unload everybody else's stuff. I told her that I didn't ask her help unloading my stuff. How many times do I have to tell her that I carry my own weight! "Ever since you joined us you've been selfish and unhelpful!" Katara screamed suddenly. Selfish! I can't believe she said that. Selfish? I leave my cushy life to come here to help them and she thinks I'M selfish? I don't know what kind of fairy- tale world she's living in. "Listen, Sugar Queen. I

gave up everything I had so I could teach Earthbending to Aang. So don't talk to me about selfish!" I am done talking to the little princess. All I need is an earth tent—There! Now I'm shutting you out. In your face, sweetheart! I'm getting some sleep. Whoa —it's that thing again! I can feel it barreling toward us! Time to move, again! For our third resting place we flew up to the top of a mountain. We all thought we'd be safe here, that the tank thing couldn't possibly find us much less follow us here. But we were wrong. I felt the vibrations shortly after we stopped. Then the others caught sight of black smoke rising over a hill, and now that thing is actually climbing up the mountain! How does it keep finding us? Who's driving it? And what do they want with us? Katara and Sokka said they think it might be this guy named Zuko, the Fire Nation prince, who's been following them all over the world. Aang thinks we should stay and face whoever it is. The tank just opened up! Three girls riding on mongoose-dragons are galloping toward us. Katara said she recognizes them as three girls they had fought in Omashu, before they picked me up.

Maybe Aang's right. Maybe we should just stand our ground. Between my bending, Aang's bending, and Katara's bending we should be able to take them. And if that doesn't work, Katara could always nag them to death. Well, we're off on Appa, again. I had raised a wall of rock to block the girls, but one of them Firebended right through it! So we decided to leave again. But, as Aang pointed out, we can't keep flying forever. I, for one, am so tired I can't even think straight. And neither can Appa, apparently, because he just started to fall asleep in midair! I hate flying. Now we really have to land! "Okay," Sokka said as we landed. "We've put a lot of distance between us and them. The plan right now is to follow Appa's lead and get some sleep!" "Of course, we could've gotten some sleep earlier if Toph didn't have such issues with helping," Katara blurted out. I can't believe she's still going on about that. I never asked any of them for anything. I've carried my weight from the start. Is she just trying to make me the scapegoat? That is so unfair. Besides, if this is anyone's fault, it's that big flying fur ball! "If there's anyone to blame, it's Sheddy over